Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that farmers are not only "annadata" (food provider) but also the source of social and political movements in the country.<br/><br/>Speaking at a gathering of farmers on Fasal Beema Yojana awareness programme in Lucknow today, Mr. Singh called upon farming community to utilize various benefits being made available through different centrally sponsored schemes. He said while agriculture had about 52 percent share in county's GDP during independence, it has decreased to only 13 percent now. Mr. Singh expressed concern for deficiency of irrigated land, saying about 60 percent of agricultural land in the country is still unirrigated. He said, new irrigation projects are being monitored and implemented with efficiency.<br/><br/>Highlighting the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana, Mr Rajnath Singh reiterated Prime Minister's commitment for doubling the farmers' income by 2022, and said government is already working in that direction. He also informed that nine crore farmers will receive soil health cards by 2017.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that farmers are not only "annadata" (food provider) but also the source of social and political movements in the country.<br/><br/>Speaking at a gathering of farmers on Fasal Beema Yojana awareness programme in Lucknow today, Mr. Singh called upon farming community to utilize various benefits being made available through different centrally sponsored schemes. He said while agriculture had about 52 percent share in county's GDP during independence, it has decreased to only 13 percent now. Mr. Singh expressed concern for deficiency of irrigated land, saying about 60 percent of agricultural land in the country is still unirrigated. He said, new irrigation projects are being monitored and implemented with efficiency.<br/><br/>Highlighting the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana, Mr Rajnath Singh reiterated Prime Minister's commitment for doubling the farmers' income by 2022, and said government is already working in that direction. He also informed that nine crore farmers will receive soil health cards by 2017.